Friends, Nerds, Gamers...

To say that I’m excited to be interning here at Game Informer is an understatement.

A lot of you might know me already; I’m pretty active here on Game Informer Online through blogging, commenting, and everything in between (previously as “Dima”). If not there, I’m also active in the Overblood Facebook group. On top of that, I’ve been a subscriber to Game Informer since before I could spell my last name correctly. And if you happen to know me in real life, you’ll know that interning at Game Informer has been an aspiration of mine for quite some time.

I found about the internship program after emailing Editor-in-Chief Andy McNamara about the position. He forwarded me to Matt Miller who gave me the details on how to apply. So I did. I put together a resume, cover letter, and a few writing samples and sent it in. I was disappointed that I wasn’t accepted that first time, of course, but looking back, I think it was best. I had only just graduated high school at the time and had very little real experience writing outside of the academic level, and nearly none about video games. So I went back, looked at the work I sent in, and started, that same day, creating my next application.

I rewrote my cover letter, redid my resume, and made up a few new writing samples. A few months later I reapplied — again, rejected. Was I disheartened? Of course, but was I going to give up? No. The rejections were blessings in disguise. I looked at what I submitted in a critical and objective way and I knew I still needed work. And so I waited, about half a year, before considering re-applying. In that time, I wrote as often as I physically could, posting my work anywhere on the internet, including my Game Informer blog, to get criticisms and suggestions. I also started writing for a couple of gaming websites. With each new piece I wrote I could see improvement. That’s really the best advice I can give to any aspiring writer. Write, write, and write some more. And when you’re done writing, write a little more.

When I saw my phone light up with an email notification from Matt Miller, I instantly grew tense. I had faced rejection twice before so I was ready, but apprehensive. But when I saw the words “phone” and “interview”… well, I was definitely overwhelmed. The next day I nervously spoke to Matt over the phone and I got a chance to tell him firsthand about my love of gaming and writing experience. A week later, I got another call, asking if I would like to be an intern at Game Informer this summer. All of my work had finally paid off. And here I am now, ready to learn from the best of the best in the industry and offer what I know and love about gaming to you guys. This is definitely a dream come true.

Now a little about me!

My favorite genres are RPG and action/adventure, but I play a little bit of everything. My favorite game of all-time is Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. Some other favorites include Uncharted 2, Ocarina of Time, Demon’s Souls, BioShock, The Last of Us, Mass Effect, and God of War.

I also watch (too many) TV shows of all sorts so if you want suggestions on what to watch or talk about the latest episode of something, don’t be afraid! To top off my nerdiness, I’m an avid Magic: The Gathering player and can run my mouth for days about it. If you want to talk about any of these things or more, message me on Twitter (@Dima110). I reply to all! Once again, thanks for having me and I’m really excited to be interacting with everyone here. Let’s make this a great summer!